High-Voltage Fences For Zapping Would-Be Copper Thieves

coondoggie writes "It may be a gimmick or the ultimate answer, but a California city this week okay-ed a draft ordinance that would let businesses install 7,000-volt electric fences to protect sites from rampant copper thieves. As reported by the Sacramento CBS station, the reaction from one business owner to the ordinance says it all: 'It'll be a little fun to watch one of these guys get electrocuted holding my fence trying to rob me.'"

Yikes...

[SIGBUS]

Coming soon: "Don't Whiz on the Electric Fence" championship edition.

A lot of fun

[plover]

It'll be a lot of fun to see the guy's face when they steal his electric fence wire.

Re:Lawsuit?

[Fuzzums]

'It'll be a little fun to watch one of these guys get electrocuted holding my fence trying to rob me.'"

Until the the thief turns around and tries to sue you and most likely wins.

Because he didn't know how to read the signs "copper thieves will be electrocuted; survivors will be electrocuted again"?

I have one

[Charliemopps]

A neighbor girl had fun teaching my dogs to jump my fence. She was climbing back and forth into my yard all the time and goading the dogs to follow her. They of course learned. So I went to the local farm implement store and was looking at invisible fences... they were expensive... then I saw the regular farm electric fence transformer was only $15! SOLD! A roll of aluminum wire was $5 for 1/4 mile and the insulators was another $2. So for $22 and about 2hrs work I had an electric fence.

Well my neighbors were "outraged" The little girl that had been jumping the fence was now in "mortal danger" according to her mom. I told her "well maybe you should keep her off my fence then" The fact of the matter is, I got zapped by far worse fences than what I put up when I was a kid... and while it smarts, it doesn't do any real damage to you. Apparently there's a city ordinance against electric fences in town, they pointed this out to me... I pointed out that I really didn't care and I was already breaking at least a dozen others. They called the cops... cops never came. Apparently had more important things to do.

Then, about 8 months later, the best thing ever happened (well for me anyway.) The neighbors got their house broken into. I guess it wasn't great for them. But the cops showed up, investigated, and told them there were tracks in the mud leading up to MY fence... then for some odd reason the moved over to their house, jumped the fence and kicked in the back door. The husband told me about this... wanted his own electric fence now. He said "When you stop laughing can you go with me to the store?"

Long story short... electric fences rock. 2 of my neighbors have them to.

Re:Yikes...

[EETech1]

About 30 years ago I fell victim to the older neighbor kids when i had to pee. They told me to go behind the shed, but don't piss on the shed because my dad will get mad, so i went with my back to the shed and pissed right on an electric fence. It got me 3 times before I figured out what the hell was going on, and turned away. No damage, just a wee bit sore for a few hours.

I don't care what the Mythbusters say, it is possible, I know it is, and my older neighbors all laughed having suckered another person into pissing on it, so I wasn't the first one with a painful experience behind that shed!

My(BZZZZT)th Conf(BZZZZT)irm(BZZZZT)ed

Owww!

Cheers...

Re:I have one

[Anonymous Coward]

... then I saw the regular farm electric fence transformer was only $15! SOLD! A roll of aluminum wire was $5 for 1/4 mile and the insulators was another $2. So for $22 and about 2hrs work I had an electric fence.

Wow, how old are you? :)

Must be ancient, he's posting from a typewriter!